“In the fourth quarter of 2007, American cellphone subscribers for the first time sent text messages more than they phoned, according to Nielsen Mobile. Since then, the average subscriber’s volume of text messages has shot upward by 64 percent, while the average number of calls has dropped slightly.”

Average Number of Monthly Calls vs. Text Messages Among U.S. Wireless Subscribers

Calls

Texts

Qtr 1, 2006

198

65

Qtr 2, 2006

216

79

Qtr 3, 2006

221

85

Qtr 4, 2006

213

108

Qtr 1, 2007

208

129

Qtr 2, 2007

228

172

Qtr 3, 2007

226

193

Qtr 4, 2007

213

218

Qtr 1, 2008

207

288

Qtr 2, 2008

204

357

Source: Nielsen Mobile

The article also points out that “Teenagers ages 13 to 17 are by far the most prolific texters, sending or receiving 1,742 messages a month”. The Nielsen data shows that this age group sends two orders of magnitude more data than people over 65.

Average Number of Monthly Calls vs. Text Messages Among U.S. Wireless Subscribers by Age (Q2 2008)

Calls

Texts

All Subs

204

357

12 & Under

137

428

Ages 13-17

231

1742

Ages 18-24

265

790

Ages 25-34

239

331

Ages 35-44

223

236

Ages 45-54

193

128

Ages 55-64

145

38

Ages 65+

99

14

Source: Nielsen Mobile

Note that texting is more popular than calling for all but the last three age groups.